Short Summary

MEERUT, 40 MILES (70 KMS) FROM DELHI, WAS REPORTED QUIET YESTERDAY AFTER THREE DAYS OF RIOTING HAD TAKEN 13 LIVES AND LEFT ABOUT 100 INJURED.

Description

SOLDIERS PATROLLING QUIET STREETS.

Initials AA/V/BH/SC

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: MEERUT, 40 MILES (70 KMS) FROM DELHI, WAS REPORTED QUIET YESTERDAY AFTER THREE DAYS OF RIOTING HAD TAKEN 13 LIVES AND LEFT ABOUT 100 INJURED. THE TROUBLE STARTED A WEEK AGO WHEN DEMONSTRATORS TRIED TO BREAK UP A MEETING OF MOSLEMS ADDRESSED BY THE RECENTLY-RELEASED KASHMIRI LEADER, SHEIKH ABDULLAH. IN HINDU-MOSLEM RIOTING SINCE THEN POLICE HAVE HAD TO OPEN FIRE TO KEEP ORDER.

FOLLOWING STABBING AND ARSON INCIDENTS, THE INDIAN ARMY WAS CALLED IN TO PATROL THE STREETS IN THE WORST AREAS OF THE TOWN. A CURFEW, IMPOSED AFTER SATURDAY'S RIOTING, WAS LIFTED IN MOST PARTS OF THE CITY DURING THE WEEK, BUT HAS NOW BEEN RE-IMPOSED FOLLOWING A SERIES OF VIOLENT INCIDENTS.

THE CHIEF MINISTER OF UTTAR PRADESH, MR. CHARAN SINGH, ARRIVED IN MEERUT YESTERDAY (FRIDAY) TO PERSONALLY LOOK INTO THE LAW AND ORDER SITUATION, AND DISCUSS THE PROBLEMS WITH LOCAL LEADERS.